A Origem dos Guardiões

Rise of the Guardians is harmless enough, and the lack of easy pop-culture jokes represents the post-Shrek direction of DreamWorks well enough. But this is the studio's least entertaining film.

The conceit has its charms but too much of this movie, directed by Peter Ramsey, is more clamorous than inspired, and little kids might find parts of it too scarily intense.

Offers up a sense of wonder for children and adults alike.

Charming, sweet and enchanting, but not without its flaws, Rise of the Guardians is the hopeful, feel-good movie for kids that's fitting for holiday movie watching with the family.

A few colorful details aside, Rise of the Guardians goes light on the type of wide-eyed wonder it purports to champion.

The script seems to have been written by committee, with members lobbying for each major character, and the action, set in vast environments all over the map, spreads itself so thin that a surfeit of motion vitiates emotion.

Too cluttered and manic to bring real pleasure.

A children's fable reimagined as a superhero flick--a peculiar but delightful hybrid that just may be the best animated offering of the year.

Like most children's movies, Rise of the Guardians mimics the patterns of adult entertainment. Where is the magic in that?

And as much as I often found myself enchanted by this 3D animated film, based on the series of books by William Joyce, I couldn't help noticing that this movie falls into a conundrum I like to call "You didn't clap loud enough -- Tinkerbell's dead."

The joy of Peter Ramsey's clever and well-paced film is how it maintains its focus on the experience of childhood wonder rather than on holiday loot.

[A] dour animated adventure that aspires to holiday joy, but is as enjoyable as a sock full of coal.

Rise Of The Guardians boasts a great deal of visual energy and amounts to a lot of fun ...

This 3-D cartoon manages to be frantic and bizarre, yet boring.

A charming if slightly dark and cobwebbed animated feature about how believing in something makes it real, or real enough.

The Guardians make a winning team that is a prime candidate for a sequel, just like "The Avengers."

"Rise of the Guardians" seems a sure bet for kids who still believe - or wished they believed - in magic.

The movie's bid for distinctiveness works in lots of little ways ...

Peter Ramsey and his art team have created a crisp, colorful fantasy world, sharper-edged than many feature-length children's cartoons.

There's more "wow" factor involved than genuine charm. It's fun-enough once, but repeat visits won't be necessary.